Occupy Orange County moving to new site

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Occupy Orange County (Calif.) protesters cleared out the campsite where they have protested since late October but pledged to continue demonstrating elsewhere.

"It's kind of a bittersweet thing," J.B. Wagoner, a protester from Temecula, Calif., told the Daily Pilot of Costa Mesa. "I think that the Occupy movement has reached some of its goals as far as raising awareness of corporate money and politics, but there's still a lot to be done."

The Occupy protesters had been granted overnight camping rights at the Irvine Civic Center since Oct. 25 but the latest extension expired at noon Wednesday.

But the Southern California protesters say they're moving tents, tarps, audio equipment and other supplies to a new protest site, Fullerton City Hall.

The Occupy Orange County protesters had a peaceful relationship with police, with the only two arrests unrelated to the protest -- one for unlawful sex with a minor, one for intoxication, said Irvine police Lt. Julia Engen.

"The collaboration and cooperation between the city and Occupy O.C. has distinguished us from other cities," Irvine Mayor Sukhee Kang said at a City Council meeting. "We appreciate the professionalism you demonstrated and your willingness to work within the parameters that we established."

Abdur Outlaw, an Occupy member, said the protesters have already begun a relationship with the Fullerton police.

"As long as we stay tight-knit, as long as we don't let conflict arise from within, then everything will be easy breezy," he said. "The only thing that could truly destroy us is us."

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